ABU DHABI 24 March 2021: The Indian diplomatic missions in the UAE have launched the 75th anniversary celebrations of India’s independence.
“I am happy to announce today the formal launch of the India@75 celebrations here in the UAE. Starting from today, the Embassy in Abu Dhabi and our Consulate in Dubai will regularly organise events and digital initiatives, in the buildup towards the 75th anniversary of our Independence on 15 August, 2022, ” said Pavan Kapoor, the Indian Ambassador to the UAE, in a virtual event on Tuesday.
The celebrations will include a series of cultural and digital initiatives and events, undertaken by the Government of India to commemorate the 75th anniversary of India’s Independence, Kapoor added.
“Even though the actual anniversary will fall on 15th August 2022, the celebrations have been launched by our Prime Minister on 12 March 2021, exactly 75 weeks before the 75th anniversary. The India@75 celebrations will be celebrated till 15th August 2023 as the ‘celebrations of the people,’” the envoy explained.
He urged all Indians residing the UAE to come forward and partner with the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi or the Consulate in Dubai in participating and organising such events.
“We will also work towards organising a ‘Week of Indian Culture’ all over the UAE sometime next year, by which time hopefully there will also be much greater in-person participation possible at events,” Kapoor said.
India extends ban on international flights till April 30
Scheduled international commercial passenger flights to and from India will continue to remain suspended till 30th April, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) here ordered today. International flights were suspended at the end of March last year as part of a lockdown to curb the spread of Coronavirus.
The extension of the ban on regular flights came on a day when the government announced a major expansion next month of its nation-wide vaccination drive against Coronavirus to cover everyone over the age of 45. So far, only those above 60 years of age were eligible for vaccination. Persons in the age group of 45-60 with co-morbidities were also eligible.
Simultaneously, the Ministry of Home Affairs here issued fresh guidelines for effective containment of COVID-19, which will remain in force up to 30th April. The guidelines mandate the states to strictly enforce a three-pronged “Test, Track, Treat” protocol in all parts of the country and ensure COVID-19-appropriate behaviour by everyone.
The new guidelines have come as India recorded a surge in new cases of Coronavirus. In the previous 24 hours, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare reported 40,715 new COVID-19 infections, taking the cumulative total since the onset of infections to 11.69 million. Deaths rose by 199 in a day to total 160,166.
DGCA said special flights approved by designated authorities, flights for the evacuation of Indian citizens abroad and bilaterally negotiated “air bubbles” will be exempt from the continuing ban on international air traffic.
